SourcePathfinder RPG Bestiary pg. 72Masters of corruption and despoilers of purity, devils seek to destroy all things good and drag mortal souls back with them to the depths of Hell.

As the most numerous fiendish occupants of Hell, the various forms of devils are well catalogued by diabolists. Most are known by two names: an evocative title given to the fiends by commoners and folklore, and an obscure, ancient designation spoken by the servants of Hell and those who would seek to deal with the damned.

Born from the foulest of mortal souls—their personalities and memories long since scoured by millennia of torment—would-be devils rise from the masses of suffering souls as lemures, revolting beings of mindless evil potentiality. Only through continued centuries of torture or by the edicts of more powerful devils do these least of devilkind rise to become deadlier fiends, graduating through a pain-wracked metamorphosis dictated by their masters or the infernal whims of Hell's semi-sentient layers. While fiendish lords wield transformation into greater or lesser forms as both prize and punishment, some devils spontaneously rise from particularly evil souls long trapped upon an infernal layer. Thus, although the various diabolical breeds possess recognizable abilities and hold generalized rankings in the great infernal hierarchy, a devil's type alone does not always correspond to a specific tenure of torment or place in the infernal chain of command.

Devils fill the nine layers of Hell, though certain fiends are more common on specific layers than others, their specialized duties or fealty to individual archdevils drawing them to one torturous domain more than others. Although the various types of devils tend to specialize in unique forms of depravity or temptation, the hierarchies of Hell are not without flexibility for uncommon individual talents. Thus, particularly watchful hamatulas might join the ranks of Phlegethon's bone devil inquisitors, while veteran barbazus might serve among the pit fiends of Nessus.

Beyond the pits of Hell, devils often travel to the Material Plane at the summons of evil spellcasters. Quick to bargain and willing to serve mortals to assure their damnation, devils ever obey the letter of their agreements, but serve the whims of Hell foremost. Thus, even the least of devilkind might come to the Material Plane intent on further corrupting souls, cleverly escaping the bonds of their contracts to indulge their own plots, or to further the unspeakable goals of the archdevils of Hell.

The Ranks of Devilkind

Diabolists speak often of the rankings of Hell, the distinctions made between devils that distinguish the foot soldiers from the commanders of Hell's armies. While such divisions mean little to most mortals—a devil being a deadly foe in any incarnation—the hierarchies and nuances of Hell's society carry distinctions vital to the survival of any who would commune with devils. What distinguishes a breed of devils above or below others is more than a matter of brawn, with several cunning types of fiend holding priority over their fundamentally stronger brethren. While a devil's station does not mean it can instantly command every other devil of inferior standing, it does imply which fiends might serve their brethren or hold influence over others.

Below these are the devil races themselves, from the lordly and malevolent pit fiends all the way down to the lowly, malformed lemure.

The Infernal Hierarchy

Listed here, from the absolute weakest devils to the lords of Hell, is the most basic hierarchy of the infernal realm's best-known denizens.

Ecology

Special Abilities

Drown (Su) As a full-round action, a drowning devil can summon murky water into the lungs of a single target within 30 feet. If the target can’t breathe water, it’s unable hold its breath and immediately begins to drown. At the start of its next turn, the target must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save to cough up this water or it falls unconscious and is brought to 0 hit points. On the next round, the target must save successfully again or drop to –1 hit point and start dying; on the third round it must save successfully again or die. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Heavy Aura (Su) Whenever a creature enters the drowning devil’s heavy aura, it must succeed at a DC 18 Will save or reduce its speed as if carrying a load one step higher or wearing armor one category heavier (whichever is worse), and its armor check penalty increases by 2. A creature already carrying a heavy load or wearing heavy armor that fails its save can’t move as long as it remains in the affected area. A creature that saves against a drowning devil’s heavy aura is immune to that devil’s aura for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Description

Called sarglagons in their Infernal tongue, drowning devils take great pride in being the best-adapted guardians of Hell’s waterways, and are among the few fiends who travel the seas and rivers of the multiverse as part of larger infernal plots. Even in the air or on the ground, a drowning devil moves with a haunting litheness as though it were swimming. A typical drowning devil weighs 600 pounds, and can exceed 15 feet from head to tail.